Intel readying Core i7-2700K CPU to spoil AMD Bulldozer launch?

It looks like Intel may have a two-pronged approach to combating the imminent debut of AMD's new Bulldozer desktop processors. Not only does the company plan to release its new Sandy Bridge-E "extreme" chips a few weeks after Bulldozer's launch, but it also appears to have another CPU up its sleeve to send out against AMD's new FX series.

CPU World sleuths noticed that Intel recently added a new box to its Material Declaration Data Sheets (MDDS) database that indicates that the company is preparing the Core i7-2700K, which would presumably replace the i7-2600K as the fastest non-extreme Sandy Bridge desktop processor. Unfortunately, there are no specs or other pertinent information about the chip, though CPU World assumes that it will be like the i7-2600K with four cores, Hyper-Threading, and 8MB L3 cache, but will carry a slightly higher clock speed.

Anandtech speculates that the pricing for the i7-2700K will be roughly $317, which will be higher than the top eight-core Bulldozers. Then again, if it can best AMD's latest in performance testing, then enthusiasts might not mind the extra cost. The i7-2700K release could also pull the pricing of the i7-2600K down closer to the $266 price expected for the FX-8150.

In any event, it appears that Intel will have plenty of new product to battle with Bulldozer as the fourth quarter rolls on. But will it be able to blunt AMD's momentum after it launches its latest chips?